Texas No. 1 for firearm seizures at airports

By Kolten Parker |
May 19, 2014
| Updated: May 20, 2014 10:45am

A quarter of firearms seized at airports in the United States during the last two years occurred at Texas airports, more than any other state, according to data provided by the Transportation Security Administration. However, Texas was not the home of the airport with the most seizures of any U.S. airport. Click through to see which airports seized the most guns.

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SAN ANTONIO — A quarter of firearms seized at airports in the United States during the last two years occurred at Texas airports, more than any other state, according to data provided by the Transportation Security Administration.

Out of the 3,369 firearms seized by the TSA in 2012 and 2013 at U.S. airports, 842 were in the Lone Star State.

On average, five guns were seized per day at airports across the country. One in three had a bullet in the chamber and 84 percent of the firearms were loaded, according to National Security Journalism Initiative. Gun seizures at U.S. airports increased by 20 percent from 2012 to 2013, the data shows.

TSA screens approximately 1.8 million passengers and their luggage every day, said Carrie Harmon, a regional public affairs officer for the agency. Firearms are prohibited in carry-on bags, but can be transported in checked bags if they are unloaded, properly packed and declared to the airline.

When a firearm is intercepted at a TSA checkpoint, the agency alerts law enforcement, which takes possession of the weapon, interviews the passenger, and determines any criminal charges. However, TSA can impose a civil penalty with fines ranging from $250 to $11,000 per incident.

Sixteen firearms have been intercepted in San Antonio by the TSA in 2014, she said.

As of 2012, Texas had issued 519,000 concealed handgun permits, the fourth-most in the country. Ahead of Texas are states including: Florida, 887,000; Pennsylvania, 786,000; Georgia, 600,000; according tot the U.S. Government Accountability Office.